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. 2008 Jan;9(1):5-9.
doi: 10.1631/jzus.B073003.

HER2 over-expression and response to different chemotherapy regimens in breast cancer

Jin Zhang  1 , Yan Liu
Affiliations

HER2 over-expression and response to different chemotherapy regimens in breast cancer

Jin Zhang et al. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2008 Jan.

Abstract

Purpose: To exam the relationship between HER2 over-expression and different adjuvant chemotherapies in breast cancer.

Patients and methods: A total of 1625 primary breast cancer patients who received post-surgery adjuvant chemotherapy in Tianjin Cancer Hospital, China, from July 2002 to November 2005 were included in the study. Among them, 600 patients were given CMF (CTX+MTX+5-Fu) regimen, 600 given CEF (CTX+E-ADM+5-Fu) regimen, and 425 given anthracyclines plus taxanes regimen, with mean follow-up time of 42 months.

Results: In CMF treatment group, the 3-year disease free survival (DFS) in HER2 over-expressed patients was lower than that of the HER2-negative ones (89.80% vs 91.24%, P=0.0348); in node-positive subgroup, the 3-year DFS was 84.72% in HER2 over-expressed patients, and 90.18% in the HER-2-negative ones (P=0.0271). Compared to CMF regimen, anthracyclines and anthracyclines plus taxanes regimens are more effective (P<0.05) in node-positive HER2 over-expression than those in the node-negative.

Conclusion: HER2 over-expression is an independent index for predicting poor prognosis and short DFS for breast cancer patients. HER2 over-expressed patients are resistant to CMF regimen chemotherapy, but sensitive to anthracyclines-based or anthracyclines plus taxanes regimen. HER2 expression can be taken as a marker for therapies in breast cancer.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Disease free survival (DFS) curve diagram in HER2 over-expressed or HER2-negative patients given CMF
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Disease free survival (DFS) curve diagram in node-positive patients
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Disease free survival (DFS) curve in HER2 over-expressed patients treated by different chemotherapy regimens T-based: Anthracyclines plus taxanes regimen
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Disease free survival (DFS) curve of HER2 over-expressed patients with node-positive treated by different chemotherapy regimens T-based: Anthracyclines plus taxanes regimen
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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